Three hours was not enough. She couldn't even enjoy the bright sunlight shining down on her scraggly field. The lack of sleep, even with her nap the afternoon before, was weighing down her eyelids, her eyeballs gritty with it. What she really missed, as she gazed lethargically at the field that needed tending and listened to muffed bleating and clucking and mooing of her animals, was coffee. Oh dear holy Goddess, how she missed the sweet addictive aroma of fresh coffee and steamed milk. How dic these people survive only on tea?

To her surprise, the familiar sound of whistling and stomping feet met her ears, and she spun around already grinning widely despite her sleepily half-mast eyes. Luke sauntered down the road, waving hugely when he saw her looking.

"Lu-Lu!" she exclaimed, breaking into a yawn halfway through. Luke snorted loudly, then lifted her up into a hug that had her laughing instead.

"Morning to you, too! How 'bout we never do that fighting thing again?" Luke said, squeezing her tight enough to break.

Evie slumped over him, toes barely touching dirt and both her hands twisting into the loose fabric of his vest. "Yeah, let's not. I'm… I'm really sorry," she whispered.

"Yeah, I know, and I forgive ya, cuz I'm awesome," Luke agreed easily, his eyes a little more serious than his words as he set her back on her feet.

Evie barked out a laugh and punched his bicep. "Yeah, yeah, you're pretty awesome. You'd be downright magical if you had some coffee, though." She rubbed at her eyes and yawned again.

"Eugh, coffee? It's worse than tea and I hate tea!"

She rolled her eyes and picked up her watering can and sickle. "I think giving the rest of the payment for my house will have to wait till tomorrow. The storm really did a number on my crops."

"I'll tell Pops when I go back up," Luke replied amiably enough.

"You gonna just watch me get my chores done then?"

"Brosicle, it's like, 7 AM already. I thought you'd be done," he said with a slight frown. "Did you stay up and party without me?"

"Ha! If only. Here, you sickle and I'll water, and then you gotta tell me about how you managed to have Candace over for dinner," Evie said, shoving the sickle into Luke's hands (carefully). "We were too busy chopping down trees to talk yesterday."

"Yeah, cuz you had t'come home so early and nap," Luke snorted, cheeks burning red, but he went for the few weeds as requested.

Compared to the almost entire week of storming, this day was sunny enough to burn a vampire to dust in seconds, and the heat was already rising. Only the gentle caress of wind, bringing with it the tingle of magic– Dara's magic– kept them relatively cool as they worked. Luke finished first, then lounged on the lip of the well, rolling the handle of the sickle between his hands while Evie finished up. She came over to fill her empty can and sat next to him, looking over her completely watered crops.

"So… she nursed you back to health and then went all the way up to your house, through the storm, just to give you, and your family, a home-cooked meal and check on you," Evie summarized, sounding bemused.

"Yeah, I walked her home after, a'course. My Pops and Bo teased me all day yesterday, so I got outta there fast as I could this morning 'fore they could start up again," Luke mumbled, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

"You know, we talked before… about whether or not your feelings were just a dream or real…?" Evie started, her own cheeks starting to flush. This was not her forte.

"Uh, yeah, I think, yeah… it's definitely real," Luke mumbled, kicking at the dirt.

"Don't you think that maybe… she feels the same? After all that? She even left me a letter under my door, gave me a good talking to about apologizing, even while being polite, as she does," Evie told him, knocking her shoulder to his. His gold eyes met hers, looking even brighter than usual with hope.

"Really? She did?" At Evie's nod, he broke into an awestruck grin. "Sometimes… sometimes I think she might? She… she just looks at me sometimes, and I just wanna blurt it out," he rubbed his face with his hand. "But… she's gonna be twenty-five this winter, yanno? And I'm just barely twenty, what if I'm not old enough for her? Too immature or whatever? She could do so much better than the town loudmouth dork."

"Firstly, don't talk down about yourself. It's freaky, seeing you without any confidence in yourself," Evie ordered briskly. Luke chuckled and knocked her shoulder in a mimic of her earlier motion. "And she likes being around you. It's not crazy to think that she might feel more than that. Jeez, you are just twenty, maybe she thinks she's too old for you," Evie pointed out.

"What? Why? That's stupid!" Luke protested. Evie laughed at him.

"Exactly. It is stupid. You said you're not scared of being in love, right? So… go on, do it. Ask her out. The worst thing that could happen is her saying no," Evie said encouragingly. Luke frowned at that.

"Nah, the worst thing would be her saying no, and then never talking t'me again. Or her saying yes, but only cuz she feels sorry for me," Luke said, mouth curling downwards.

Evie flinched and grimaced with him. "Okay, yeah, both of those things are pretty flippin' possible. How about I… I can kinda snoop for you? I'm not so good at subtle, but Candy is probably just as oblivious as me. Lemme see if I can get something out of her about liking anyone. If it seems like you've got a chance, I'll let you know."

"You'd do that?!" Luke asked, grabbing Evie's shoulder too tightly.

"Yeah, of course I would. You two… You two would be great together," Evie said, smiling, reaching up to clasp his shoulder back. "I think I've seen it, those 'sometimes' you talked about, you know?"

"Thanks, Eves."

"No problem-o, Lu-Lu."

He groaned aloud and rolled his eyes. They got to their feet and began to walk towards her porch to drop of the tools and head to the animals. As they turned to the barn, a voice called out from the road– this time from down-road, rather than up-road. Evie turned to see Gill, his platinum blonde hair almost blinding in the early morning light.

"Good morning, Ms. Tallesin, Carpenter."

"Dude, we went to school together. Call me Luke."

"Yeah, and you can call me Evie, remember?"

Gill huffed and shook his head. "No one has manners anymore." Luke and Evie exchanged a look and a grin. Gill peered between them, then nodded to himself. "I'm glad to see you two have made up. It was quite an uncomfortable confrontation. However, I'm here to speak to you privately, Evelyn."

Evie blinked, then bit her lip, realizing what he must want to talk about without an audience.

"She's kinda spoken for if you wanna date," Luke drawled.

"Luke!" Evie hissed, face flaming red. Gill scoffed.

"Of course not. I wouldn't dream of being so unprofessional."

"Unprofessional?" Luke and Evie parroted, bewildered.

"You're a tenant, and a new one at that. I wouldn't dare ruin our working relationship in such a foolhardy manner."

"Do you always talk like that and I just didn't notice?" Evie mused, mouth twitching.

"Yup, he always talks like that. Right, well, I ain't gonna stick around and protect your virtue for Toby. Don't get caught," Luke teased, winking at her.

"Shut up, Luke!" Evie shrilled, face even redder. The last insinuation managed to even get under Gill's skin, his complexion matching hers as Luke ran off cackling.

"I'm not– truly–" Gill stammered.

"Ignore him," Evie said, flapping her hand. "He's just doing it to tease me."

"Um, yes, I should've– Anyway I've come by to discuss the Bells with you in further detail, and the Harvest Goddess," Gill explained, clearing his throat behind his fist.

"Yeah, I thought so. Finn's still sleeping off his late night. Do you mind following me on my chores?" Evie offered, thumbing towards the barn. Gill pursed his lips slightly, but nodded and followed her.

While feeding and brushing and milking Clotho and Hera, Evie rushed through the events of the night before and her meeting with Edge. Well, "meeting" was a strong word, but Gill hung onto every word greedily. They both sunk into silence when she finished in the barn, both musing over the Wizard and Edge. Gill refused to come into the coop, so Evie hurried through greeting Dite, Eris, Thalia, and lastly Euterpe. They were all lively and ready to go in minutes, and Evie hurried to the bell to let out her animals. She made her way to where Gill stood by her front door, still frowning pensively.

"So… any suggestions?" Evie asked, leaning against the wood and crossing her arms over her chest. Gill tapped his mouth and then shrugged.

"It seems as if this shrine may be key. I remember how beautiful it was, how important it was to my mother a long time ago," Gill's voice softened, his mouth curving into a wistful, nostalgic kind of smile. "After her death… it just didn't seem as important to me. Nothing did. That's… that's when the fairies stopped coming, when the Bells stopped Ringing, and the Wishing Shrine just became a piece of colorful glass. The priest before Pastor Park was old and senile by then, and Dale... his wife died soon after. It was a hard time for a lot of us, those few years." Gill sighed roughly.

"I didn't realize... I... I'm sorry, for all you lost since then. It must've been lonely without your mother, and without the fairies, too," Evie said quietly, digging the toe of her boot into the dirt.

Gill looked over at her, blinking too-shiny blue eyes. "It… It was. Thank you. It's still– It's still so strange to talk about the fairies as if they're real again. Only Mother and Mrs. Nettie ever believed me."

"Mrs. Nettie… that's Luke's mom, isn't it?"

Gill nodded. "Mother and Mrs. Nettie were best friends, since they were girls. Later, Charlotte Sonata moved to town with Mrs. Shelly, and the three of them were inseparable. Till one by one, they all just…" He broke off, mouth tightening. "The magic bleeding out of Castanet, I know that's what killed my mother and Mrs. Nettie. It broke their hearts, and Mrs. Charlotte had never been very strong. Her husband leaving her, and her best friends dying… I remember thinking it was the fairies' fault those wonderful women had died. Why couldn't they save the people that believed in them so fiercely?"

He sighed and shook his head again. "It's no use rehashing a child's grievances. We have to figure out how to help Edge and the Goddess."

Evie nodded silently, words and breath choking her. Sadness was a lump she couldn't swallow down, and she wished fervently in her mind to the Harvest Goddess that she'd never have to watch good people die of broken hearts, and that she'd fix what was so broken in this lovely place for good.

"The best way to do that is to go to her," Evie said after a quiet moment.

Gill's shoulders tightened and he gasped. "Go? To her? To the Goddess? So you've… you've really seen her?" he whispered, voice and eyes awed.

"Well… yeah. She's the one that sent Finn, and I had no idea where to get started without her. She's been helping me this entire time," Evie pointed out. Gill covered his mouth with his hand and frowned.

"Yes, of course," he murmured.

The sound of twinkling bells came and Evie turned towards it just a moment before Gill looked up. A tiny bouncing ball of light careened around the corner and popped! Finn snuggled under Evie's chin, humming and trilling.

"You shouldnta let me sleep so late. You gotta be so tired, Evie!" Finn exclaimed.

Evie smiled and patted Finn's head. "I'll be okay. I'll go to bed early tonight…" she trailed off, cheeks turning red when she remembered why that might not be possible. She had no idea what Toby had planned, and her heart beat double-time at the thought.

"Good morning, Mr. Finn," Gill said gently. Finn giggled against Evie's throat and finally flew over to their guest, whom raised a hand for Finn to land on. "I can see you much better now."

"I'm glad! Are you coming with us to see Mother? Everyone but Edge will be there, too! I'm sure they'd like to see you again, and they all love Paolo. We love friends!" Finn invited cheerfully.

Gill cleared his throat. "I think… I think I caught the gist of all that, and I'd be honored to be your friend."

"We were just talking about going up to the Goddess Spring together, Finn. Gill's coming, too, right?"

Gill's throat bobbed on a hard swallow, but he nodded a second later. "Yes, I suppose I am. I'd hate to disappoint."

Evie grinned as Finn cheered.

...

Next to her, Gill trembled from head to foot. The velveteen grass swished against their legs, tickling bare skin and the backs of their hands. In front of them, Finn disappeared, rushing to his Mother and kin. As the white glow of the marble ruins seeped through the thinning trees, Evie reached out and brushed her fingers over the back of Gill's hand. For a single heartbeat of a moment, Gill snagged her hand and held on tight. He dropped it a second later and smoothed his waistcoat nervously.

"You look fine, Gill. I've come here sweaty, dirty, and with a broken leg, and sometimes all at once. Don't stand on ceremony with her," Evie whispered with an encouraging smile.

"Y-Yes, I suppose such things are beneath her notice… however, they're not beneath mine," he whispered back.

"Touché."

They entered the clearing seconds later, and stopped dead. Mainly because Gill stopped dead. She glanced over at him, grinning lopsidedly at his awed gaping. The picture they all made was rather breathtaking, and she looked back to the Tree to let the warmth of them, their love and magic, fill her to the brim all over again. Five dancing lights bobbed and weaved around the angelic-looking fairy sitting on the patch of spring-green grass. Her long, glass-like wings draped down her back to flow over the grass, and her dress whirled and fanned over her legs and feet like foaming sea waves. Her beautiful, aqua blue hair slipped over her narrow shoulder as she turned. At the direct gaze on her, Evie's feet led her forward automatically. Lightly, most of the awe now a strong sense of trust and affection, she skipped across the damp marble stepping stones and grinned as the bright, colorful lights popped into five, colorful sprites.

"Good morning everyone!" Evie greeted, giggling and laughing as they danced around her and nuzzled close in welcome.

"You brought a friend with you," Alana noticed, barely containing her excitement. All the sprites landed on Evie's shoulders and head to watch as Gill much more sedately and carefully picked his way over the marble steps.

"It's an old, dear friend who has returned," the Harvest Goddess murmured, joy lighting up her sky-blue eyes. The sprites oooed in shock and peered intensely at him as he neared. "Welcome back, child of Camille Castanet."

"You remember my mother… She would be pleased," Gill said, bowing and lowering his eyes in deference. The fairy merely smiled.

"I would never forget such a faithful friend."

"Castanet?" Evie repeated, blinking. Gill blushed slightly.

"My mother's family was an old one, around since Castanet got its name."

"From them. No wonder everything is all music-themed, it started with your family."

"And a few others." Gill shrugged, cheeks pink and expression uncomfortable. Most likely because of the Goddess' and sprites' unerring gazes on him.

"I remember you," Ben said suddenly. He zoomed off Evie's shoulder to hover right in front of Gill's nose. "You used to play with me in the Watery Cave. You taught me how to read."

Gill blinked. Then blinked again. "B-Ben?" He looked up and his eyes darted over each fairy in turn. "Alana? Collin? And… and that's Dara?"

"He does remember us, how nice," Dara said with a sleepy smile while Ben zipped and zoomed all around Gill as if to re-orient himself with his old friend whom was now so different.

"Hey, do you remember this joke? What does the fish say when it swims into the wall?" Collin asked, and continued on without stopping, "Da–"

"None of that, Collin," Alana said briskly, looking toward Finn significantly. Collin grumbled.

Gill pressed his knuckles to his mouth, but the chuckles escaped anyway. For a moment, he looked young. Somehow, Evie could see him, that too-serious little boy surrounded by his sprites superimposed on by this older man who still had a heart of true believer beneath his shiny, adult veneer. She smiled and shook the image away.

"I have a feeling you're here for more than just a re-introduction," the Harvest Goddess said pointedly. She gestured to the soft grass as magnanimously as a queen offering silk chaise-lounges, and Evie and Gill settled cross-legged in front of her.

Evie quickly retold the events of the night before, cuddling with the sleepy Dara and curious Ben, while Gill sat too stiff and still with Alana and Collin on his shoulders. The Goddess stroked her slender, pale fingers over Finn's pointed ears, his grumbly purrs making Evie smile despite the seriousness of Edge's situation.

"There's a reason I gave Edge the Wishing Shrine. They're so easily lonely and frightened, the youngest of the first Five. I should've realized how losing that connection could go wrong," the Goddess said sadly. "I couldn't have foretold the events of eighty years ago, but I should have for their sake."

"What do you mean connection?" Gill asked in confusion.

"A connection to the people of Castanet, to the belief of them all," the Goddess stated plainly. Gill and Evie paled at that, glancing towards each other apprehensively. "You understand it. The loss of the people's faith… it has affected them even more than it has me. I had my Tree, even as it's dying, my power still lies within it, within the land, the air and the water, and so I exist without pain," she said, reaching over to touch her fingertips to the smooth white bark of the Tree. "A gift from my friend, I suppose you could say. I may be severed, but I am not incomplete. But Edge… Edge had come to rely on the wishes and hopes of the people. Without the heart of the people bared to them, they lose more and more of themself. You must return the heart of the people to Edge, or they'll never be strong enough to Ring the melody of the Bell."

"That's asking a lot, Goddess," Evie said with a tremble to her voice.

"Yes, I know I am," the fairy replied calmly as the sprites buzzed in alarm. The serenity on the Goddess's face only incensed Evie further.

Evie very calmly set aside Ben and Dara. The whole group watched in confusion as she got to her feet, hands balled at her sides. "I'm not some… some missionary. Two people, two people, in this whole town believe in fairies! One of them is a child, and the other one grew up believing already!" Evie exclaimed, gesticulating wildly towards Gill. His eyebrow rose. "Don't you understand what you're- You're asking to give my heart to this town, to that stupid shrine and that crybaby sprite. There's no way I could go all over collecting people's wishes and hopes without giving up mine! You have no right to take that from me!" Evie exploded, raging against that tranquil, trusting facade sitting in front of her.

Definitely rage. Not fear. Not that gut-wrenching terrible fear she'd been pushing aside for weeks. Her shoulders began to shake and her chin dropped, hair much too long falling in a mess of curls over her face.

"How can I give Edge something I don't have?" Evie whispered, voice cracking.

She didn't hear the Goddess move, but she felt the shiver of magic in the air just before cool, soft fingers pressed to her chin. Lifting her face upwards and to expose the lie of her anger on her lashes as she furiously contorted her face to keep them from falling. The Goddess smiled, still serene and so heartbreakingly sad.

"You are my Hero, Evelyn. You will face the odds before you as you have already, and you will overcome. Don't be afraid, dear heart, not of your own dreams."

"I don't… I don't have any, Mother, I don't. Can't you tell? I thought it was college, but I wasn't happy, and it took Finn finding me to admit it to myself. I used Castanet, and you, and the problems here, as a convenient lie to pretend I did," Evie said. Confessed, at last, out loud, that emptiness she'd been running from.

"Everyone has a wish inside of them. Yours is buried deep and hidden to keep it from being damaged. Find it, dear heart, find it and give it to Edge to keep safe."

"How?" Evie choked out, hiccupping painfully and shaking her head. Because the Goddess was wrong. There was nothing in her, she'd looked. Nothing that big or grand, only selfish, petty things that hurt people she loved.

"Now that's something you have to figure out on your own, as a Hero should," the Goddess replied with a kind smile. Evie closed her eyes tight and bit her lip to stifle any more sobs. "I believe in you, Evelyn. I've believed in you from the moment you were born. Already, you can feel it, the magic coming back."

Evie nodded mutely. She couldn't deny it'd been getting worse, the reactions to magic welling up on all sides of her, everywhere she turned. There was no denying that perhaps Dr. Jones had been right after all.

There was something fey in her.

"How could you feel it if your heart were an empty thing? If you are nothing but selfishness and conceit?" the Goddess asked softly. Evie flinched and balled her hands into fists.

"I'll help you, Evelyn," Gill said, getting to his feet and placing his hand on her shoulder. She blinked blurry eyes at him and then chuckled at the handkerchief– an actual handkerchief– he handed her. "We'll find a way to collect wishes for the Shrine from the townspeople, and along the way perhaps, you'll find yours."

"I don't know if it'll be that easy," Evie protested, wiping at her eyes and nose.

"No, probably not, but it's a start."

"And I'll be helping you the whole time, too! We're so close, Evie, we'll finish it together," Finn promised, nuzzling close under her chin. "You don't have to worry with me around."

Evie chuckled wetly again and rubbed her cheek to his stocking-cap. "Of course, Twinkletoes, how could I forget you."

"We're here for you, Evie," Alana said. She flew up and touched her tiny fingertips to Evie forehead. "Don't despair."

Something burning hot and cozy flooded Evie's body at the swift, glancing touch. More than just an echo, it was an actual thimbleful of magic that whipped the tears right off her skin.

"Thank you, Alana," Evie said dazedly. Alana flew over to the Goddess and sat on her shoulder. Ben, Collin, and Dara all hovered close, and she quickly nuzzled each of them in turn, their version of a hug.

"We should get going, we have plans to make if we want to get those wishes," Gill said. Evie nodded.

"Thank you all. I'll… I'll try my best, I promise, I'll try," Evie said vehemently, hands wringing the damp handkerchief in her hands.

"That's good enough for me," Ben piped up.

"Indeed." The Harvest Goddess smiled, watching quietly and without reproof as Evie and Gill walked away.

...

"I'm sure Candace would be willing to tell me her wish. I mean, she basically my best friend other than Luke, and I have to go talk to her anyway," Evie said as they walked towards the mine cart, eyes carefully not meeting Finn or Gill's.

"You can't go rushing headlong into this. You think I didn't put the pieces together about your leg breaking and the Red Bell Ringing the same day? You cannot simply run around town demanding people's secret wishes," Gill told her sternly.

Evie rolled her eyes. "I think I know that."

"You do know that. So don't pretend like it'll be easy," Gill said.

Heat crawled up the back of her neck, which she ignored to climb into the mine cart.

"What in the world are you doing?"

Evie stared at Gill nonplussed, already half in the cart and straddling the side. "Getting a ride to town."

"Oh, I think not. We're walking."

Evie scowled. "Not you, too. I'm not wasting an entire hour or more to walk the long way 'round. Let's go."

"It's completely unsafe!" Gill exclaimed.

"I rode this in a storm and got down just fine," Evie retorted.

"You did what? Do you have a death wish? That must be it!" Gill said, rather shrilly.

"Ugh. Get in here and close your eyes, you big baby."

Gill threw her a particularly poisonous glare, hesitated another moment, then very carefully climbed into the cart. It took all of Evie's willpower not to give into her inner child and shake the thing.

"It's okay, Gill, I don't like it, either. And I can fly!" Finn assured the blonde as he settled into the belly of the cart.

"I feel so much better," Gill muttered dryly, pulling his legs close to his chest and grimacing at the dirty interior. He wasn't quite as bad as Julius, though. Evie smirked and leaned out for the brake. "Oh, dear Goddess, help me," he breathed out in a rush.

Evie laughed outright as it hurtled down the track and Gill's face went white.

By the time the bell to the tailor shop tinkled over their heads, Gill's knees were only just barely knocking and most of the blood had returned to his face. Evie was still chortling, glad to have something other than her meltdown to think about. One quick look showed that Candace was not in the shop area, but Luna was perched on the stool behind the register, looking up in interest when the door opened. For a moment, she looked pleased, before quickly affecting a bored look on her face. Next to her, Evie felt Gill falter in his steps. She glanced at him out the corner of her eye, but his face was strangely blank and haughty, his shoulders too high and straight.

With a shrug, Evie lengthened her stride toward the counter. "Hey, Luna, long time no see."

"Hmph. If you say so." Her eyes fell on Gill and she frowned in confusion. "Don't I know you?"

"Gill Goldstein, son of the current Mayor," Gill introduced way too formally. Evie stared at him, eyebrows rising at the return of his ridiculous bow.

"Right. That doesn't do you any favors here," Luna replied just as haughtily. She didn't even bother returning the favor, turning back to Evie. "Candace left for Horn Ranch to get their latest batch of wool yarn about an hour ago. She'll probably come back with another worm, though I suppose more silk couldn't be a bad thing." She still frowned with obvious distaste at the word 'worm'.

"Where's Shelly?" Evie asked, barely holding back laughter at the battle of aloofness happening, as well as the look of outrage on Gill's face.

"Yolanda invited her up for an old lady brunch and I told her to go. For real, those two work too hard and it's as if they've forgotten I'm here now and can help them," Luna said on a huff. "I'll have to force it into their thick skulls."

"I'm sure you'll succeed," Evie said with a grin.

"Of course. Are you a mute then? Or a parrot only capable of stating your name?" Luna asked Gill sharply, tossing her shiny pink hair over her shoulder.

Evie was really really bad at this, but she had an uncomfortable feeling that Luna was flirting. Which meant Luna must be just as bad at this, because insulting someone shouldn't be flirting, right!?

"You haven't exactly let me get a word in edgewise," Gill said pertly. Luna actually hopped off the stool to stamp her foot.

"Are you trying to say I talk too much?" she demanded dangerously.

"N-no, I di-didn't m-mean–" Gill stammered, losing some of his hauteur.

Well, Luna wins this round, Evie thought in baffled amusement.

"Your holier than thou attitude is even less attractive as an adult. You were a weird boy who never wanted to play, but at least you had being a childfor an excuse. What's your excuse now?" Luna asked, blue eyes sparking and lips curving into a satisfied smirk.

"I-I didn't– Now, see here, you're taking everything out of context!" Gill exclaimed, flustered and flushing.

"What's going on with Gill? He's acting weird," Finn whispered loudly. Evie barely suppressed a chuckle as Gill's shoulders tightened and his blush took over his entire face.

Luckily for Gill's peace of mind, the doorbell tinkled behind them and another soul entered. Luna looked past them, her cat's-got-the-canary smirk wide and obvious, only for it to disappear in record time, eyes darkening in fury at whomever stood at the door. Evie had a good idea as to whom it was before even turning.

"Just what are you doing here?" Luna demanded with another stamp of her foot.

"Coming to see Candace, of course," Julius, sure enough, said. Evie rolled her eyes heavenward and wished for strength and some band-aids, too. Luna looked ready to maul.

"How dare you! Coming here, to her home, to bother her! Again!" Luna's voice went squeaky and shrill on the last word. She stopped to collect herself, cheeks a little pink at the slip. "You are not welcome here."

"That's not up to you. Please, it's imperative I speak to Candace," Julius said earnestly.

Evie actually turned at that, eyebrows lifting at just how earnest he sounded. In fact, he sounded more like his genuine self, the one Evie enjoyed spending time with at the Accessory Shop, rather than the asshat he became anywhere near Candace or Luna's presence. Luna must have heard it, too, and for a moment, she stared at him, bemused and tongue-tied.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously a moment later. "Why?"

"It's very important and private. I don't think Candace would appreciate it if I spoke of private matters to you first," Julius said simply. Luna immediately went on the defense, all but snarling.

"Julius, she's not here," Evie interrupted quickly. Julius startled and then smiled at her.

"Well, hello, Evelyn. And… Gill Goldstein, the boy who liked to talked to fairies. I remember you," Julius said with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

Not that it went over well at that moment. Gill scowled, face red and hands balling into fists. Luna stamped up to Julius, rising onto her tiptoes to get as close to eye level with him as possible. Evie didn't think it was possible for such a diminutive girl in an eye-popping yellow dress and pink pigtails to look so damn intimidating. Even Finn fled to hide under Evie's hair.

"Don't you dare insult my guests in such a way. He's welcome here, and you are not. Leave now, before I get truly angry with you," Luna ordered furiously. "If you even think about coming here to bother my sister again, where she should feel safe and happy, I will whack you with my very sharp and pointy high heels, capiche?"

Julius raised both hands. "I honestly didn't mean it that way," he said as he glanced at Evie and Gill apologetically. "Please, excuse me. Evelyn, hopefully I'll see you up at the shop again soon. Have a very good day, Ms. Snyder," he added with a stiff nod.

Luna actually snarled at that as the door closed behind him. It was probably the classiest he'd ever acted around Luna and it had Evie wondering once more if Luna had jumped the gun too quick.

"Thank you." Evie and Luna startled in place and turned to see Gill standing there, hand over his mouth and eyes downcast. "That's something I prefer not to have thrown in my face in such a manner. I appreciate your defense, Ms. Snyder."

Luna's entire demeanor softened into a look at Gill that was almost the same way she looked at her sister. She shook herself and then tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Nonsense. I meant what I said. No one insults my customers in my shop. So that means you better buy something, Mr. Goldstein." She trotted past them with her chin held high, and Evie blinked at the look on Gill's face.

He caught her watching him watch Luna, and cleared his throat loudly, eyes quickly glancing into some random corner of the shop no one and nothing occupied. Evie turned away to stifle giggles behind her hand.

"Of course, I suppose I should buy something to support the local business," Gill said agreeably.

It almost hurt to keep the laughter in.

"And you, Evelyn? Surely you've filthied up the last outfit you bought and need a new one," Luna suggested.

"I do wash my clothes, Luna. But, I guess a new shirt wouldn't be bad. I… I do kinda have a thing tonight…" Evie mumbled, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"A thing?" Luna and Gill said simultaneously, both of them with matching incredulous expressions. They glanced at each other and looked away quickly.

Evie sighed roughly. "A date. A real date, was the exact wording. I was hoping Candace would suggest a new shirt."

"Another date, Evie? You didn't say that earlier!" Finn cried in dismay. Evie grimaced guiltily and rubbed the back of her neck.

"A shirt?" Luna squeaked. "You need a wardrobe. I suppose that fishbrain wouldn't know fashion if it slapped him across the face, but you should put in some effort." Luna looked Evie up and down critically.

"She's right. If you want it to seem like a real date, you need to put in a token of effort. Otherwise, there's nothing special about it. What you wear is important and you should select carefully depending on each occasion," Gill scolded her. Evie tried her best not to cringe under his words.

"Hm, a man who knows something and isn't an annoying twit about it," Luna said absently, walking over to a shelf.

Gill preened as if she'd given the highest praise.

"I don't know what clothes have to do with dates… but if you want it to be special you should dress up and look pretty! Like Belle in Beauty and the Beast," Finn suggested, dropping onto a pile of clothes and trying to sound as haughty as Gill.

"Well, I'm not gonna wear a bright yellow ball gown," Evie muttered while Gill snickered.

"It's better than the mess you usually wear," Luna quipped. She walked over, and put an armload of clothes in Evie's arms. "Go try them on, one by one, and let Mr. Goldstein and me see each outfit. I know how many there are, so don't think you can skip any. You will help me, won't you?" she asked Gill suddenly, looking up at him from under her lashes and smiling sweetly. Gill babbled a 'yes' and blushed brightly.

While Evie scowled and trudged her way to the hinged screen set up as an impromptu changing room, Gill looked over a few more cloth patterns and shoes. Luna, however, was scowling unseeing at a half-dressed mannequin.

"I'm worried about that… that peacock of a man," Luna stated at last. Evie blinked at the other side of the screen in confusion.

"You mean Julius?"

"Well, I don't mean Fisher."

Evie snorted loudly.

"About what are you worried? Has he been ignoring boundaries or harassing you?" Gill asked incredulously, setting aside a pair of brown leather loafers.

"No… not exactly. But I have a feeling that whatever he's going to talk to Candace about, it's not good. Candace… she's not very good at making her voice heard, especially around that bejeweled purse of a man," Luna explained, sounding genuinely concerned and aggravated. "He wouldn't let her get a word in and she'd end up miserable and his… his wife or something."

"That might be a leap…" Gill tried to demur diplomatically.

Evie popped out from behind the screen, keeping most of her bottom half still hidden. "You don't think he's gonna corner her into a date, do you? No way!" she exclaimed vehemently. The look on Luke's face if someone else managed to ask her out before he could– Evie wanted to throw up forhim.

"Yes! Exactly! It'll ruin what confidence she's managed to get, because he's just bad for her, the self-conceited moron!" Luna raged, arms thrown up in the air. She stopped and narrowed her eyes at Evie. "Get in there and finish putting on the red one."

Evie rolled her eyes and ducked back behind the screen. She shimmied into the red silk Eastern style dress and plucked at the short skirt uncomfortably. She stepped out, and sighed in relief when Luna's displeased little grimace had her going straight back out of sight.

"It's been a years since he left. Perhaps giving them some time alone to get over whatever happened before he left would be a good idea?" Gill said as Evie cursed and muttered behind the screen.

"…I don't like it," Luna muttered, the sound of her tapping foot reaching even Evie's ears.

"Me neither! Maybe Candy deserves some closure, but... but not yet," Evie called from behind the screen.

"Not yet?" Luna repeated.

Silence issued as Evie winced and tried not to slap her own forehead.

"Eeeeevviiieee, it's so boring. Hurry up so we can go," Finn whined from somewhere near the register now.

Evie stomped out covered in frothy white lace and black satin, and wearing almost knee-high combat boots. "Oh holy shwigget no. You can't be serious bout this lolita knockoff."

Gill turned away to snicker to behind his hand, his opposite hand clutching his elbow. Luna waved a hand and rolled her eyes upward for fortitude. Evie just sighed in relief and all but leapt back behind the screen.

"So, Evelyn," Luna drawled in a voice that had Evie gritting her teeth painfully. "Just what does 'not yet' mean?"

"Uhhh…" Evie quickly tugged the next dress over her head and mumbled into the soft, cottony layers.

"Because it sounds like you know something that I should know," Luna needled further.

"Don't know what you mean, Luna," Evie squeaked.

Finn perched on the top of the screen and glanced down at Evie twisting and shuffling around to get the dress settled right as she tried not to blurt out anything else incriminating. "Oh, wow! Evie! You should wear that one," he exclaimed, wings chiming extra loud.

Evie huffed as she stared into the mirror and blushed beet-red; which clashed horribly with the dress. "Really? Pink? I feel like I'm six and about to pose for family pictures."

"Stop stalling, rancher," Luna said.

Evie shuffled out, plucking at the skirt with strangely bare hands, untied laces from her brown boots clicking on the wooden floor. Gill looked her up and down, then nodded and smiled. Which made Evie puff out her cheeks and scowl at him. Luna squealed, hands clasping by her chin and body swaying happily before she rushed across the room and straightened and neatened it all out.

"Of course it fits perfectly, I'm sure Candace made it with you in mind. It looks so nice with your hair, and normally that whole sun-tanning fad is just the worst, but it looks so natural and healthy on you, especially with this light hue!" Luna said brightly, blue eyes shining in pleasure.

Evie blushed even redder. "It is natural. I've never burned in my life, thanks to my mom's side. My brother's usually darker than this. He was a swimmer basically all through school."

"It's a shame that Chinese qipao style looked so awkward on your frame, because the red looks even better. But this pink is so refreshing," Luna said. She nodded and smirked. "You'll be paying for it, and then you'll be telling me this secret."

Evie blanched white. "What secret? There's no secret! I just meant Candy needed more time! Some warning, even!"

Luna's eyes narrowed and she braced her fists on her hips. "You think I was born yesterday? You may be a dunderhead, and Candace might be completely oblivious, but I'm neither. If you know something about Candace, you need to tell me!"

"It's not really about Candace– not– not that there's anything! Cuz there's not!" Evie stuttered, hands waving wildly.

Luna's lips pursed. "Not Candace, is it? Well, then." She sauntered over to the register. "That's 3000 auree."

"For an impractical pink dress!? Are you kidding me?" Evie blurted. She almost wanted to go back to the interrogation.

"It's the beautiful things that cost more," Gill said, quickly coming up to clasp her shoulders and wheel her to the register. "Besides, if you push your luck, I think she might get out the thumbscrews next."

Luna raised one elegant eyebrow, but didn't exactly disagree. Evie groaned and pulled out her wallet. Hopefully she could make it up in night-fishing, or in whatever she had harvested and collected that morning on her ranch.


A/N: It is 2:54AM but gosh damn it, I DID IT. Technically, the update day should've been the 25th, not the 24th, so I'm counting this as ON TIME. Fight me, bro! lol It didn't end where I wanted it to, but, like, two extra, unplanned scenes were added sooooo

Unbeta'ed! Next Update: November 14th, 2018. My dudes, I'll be in TX with my sister's fam then! I can't wait!